O’Reilly Double Sinks Arsenal as Man City Claim Carabao Cup Glory
Nico O’Reilly scored twice in four minutes as Manchester City defeated Arsenal 2-0 to win the Carabao Cup.
WEMBLEY STADIUM, London — Manchester City secured their first piece of silverware for the 2025-26 season, defeating Arsenal 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final. On a Sunday afternoon defined by youthful clinical finishing and a high-profile goalkeeping error, 21-year-old Nico O’Reilly emerged as the unlikely hero, scoring two headers in the span of just four second-half minutes to hand Pep Guardiola a record-breaking fifth League Cup title.
Match Summary
The contest began with Arsenal looking like the side most likely to break the deadlock. Mikel Arteta’s men came out with an aggressive high press that nearly paid immediate dividends. In the 7th minute, James Trafford—City’s designated “cup keeper”—produced a miraculous triple save, denying Kai Havertz from point-blank range before parrying two follow-up efforts from Bukayo Saka.
Despite Arsenal’s early dominance, City slowly strangled the game through possession. The first half ended scoreless, but the momentum had clearly shifted. The breakthrough arrived in the 60th minute following a moment that will haunt Kepa Arrizabalaga. Selected ahead of David Raya, the Spanish keeper fumbled a routine cross from Rayan Cherki, allowing O’Reilly to nod the ball into an empty net.
Before the Gunners could catch their breath, City struck again. In the 64th minute, Matheus Nunes delivered a pinpoint cross to the back post, where O’Reilly arrived late to plant a firm header into the bottom corner, effectively ending Arsenal’s hopes of a domestic cup triumph.
What It Means
For Pep Guardiola, this victory marks a historic milestone. He is now the most successful manager in League Cup history with five titles, surpassing the likes of Brian Clough and Sir Alex Ferguson. For Manchester City, this is their ninth League Cup trophy, moving them within one of Liverpool’s all-time record of ten.
For Mikel Arteta, the defeat is a bitter pill to swallow. Arsenal have now lost four consecutive League Cup finals, the longest such streak in the competition’s history. The decision to start Kepa over Raya will likely dominate the post-match headlines, especially as the Gunners look to pivot their focus back to a tight Premier League title race.
Next Up
Manchester City head into the international break before a massive FA Cup quarter-final clash against Liverpool. Arsenal will look to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League table when they return to action in April.
